Classic Carrot Cake

I can’t remember the first time I had carrot cake. I do know that I loved it. Carrot cake is a timeless dessert that never goes out of style.

It is a simple cake, but full of flavor from cinnamon, vanilla and three cups of shredded carrots.  The carrots add both flavor and moisture to the cake. Plus, with all those carrots, it’s like dessert and a veggie all in one. Practically health food.

It seems like a long time since I baked a carrot cake. Too long. Since a dear friend gave me carrots a few days ago, it seemed like the right time to bake one.

I baked the cakes this morning. I only made one recipe, but instead of baking the cake in one 9×13-inch pan, I used two (8×8 -inch) pans. Baking time was about 5 minutes less. Once the cakes cooled down, I frosted them with cream cheese frosting – recipe follows. Now I have two carrot cakes. One to share with a neighbor and one to freeze for another time.

So here is the recipe. I hope you love it as much as I do.

Classic Carrot Cake

4 eggs

2 c. sugar

1½ c. oil

3 c. shredded carrots

2 t. vanilla

2 c. flour

2 t. each baking soda and cinnamon

1 t. salt

1 c. nuts

1 c. raisins, optional – I don’t usually add them.

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9×13-inch pan. Beat together eggs sugar and oil until smooth. Stir in carrots. Combine flour with dry ingredients and beat in. Stir in nuts and raisins, if adding, and pour into prepared pan. Bake 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Dust with powdered sugar or frost with cream cheese frosting.

Frosting recipe:

8 oz. Cream cheese, softened

3/4 c. powdered sugar

1 stick butter, room temperature

Beat all together until fluffy. Frost cake and refrigerate until ready to eat.